A motorist has been taken to a hospital trauma centre with "serious injuries" after a horrific crash with a lorry on the M1 to the south of Leicestershire. The motorway has been shut a few junctions south of Lutterworth since the early hours of this morning, Tuesday, January 31.

Emergency services were called to the scene, between junctions 16 and 17, in Northamptonshire, shortly after 3.30am. It followed reports of a collision involving a car and a HGV on the northbound carriageway.

Images of the crash scene from National Highways traffic cameras show a badly damaged silver hatchback facing the wrong way on the side of the road. Its front, driver's side and rear are caved in due to the impact, while the safety barrier is destroyed and behind the car is a high sided lorry embedded in trees.

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Traffic monitoring website, Inrix said that the lorry ended up "down the embankment" two-and-a-half miles after junction 16 as a result of the smash. Drivers were warned to allow extra time for their journey.

National Highways, in a message shared to followers of its official Twitter account, said: "Traffic has now been stopped on the M1 northbound between J16 and J17 following a serious collision. All emergency services are in attendance and are working at the scene."

The car driver has been taken to the major trauma centre at the University Hospital of Coventry, at Walsgrave, according to Northamptonshire Police. The force said that casualty sustained serious injuries in the crash, however, their condition is currently not known.

A large emergency service presence remains at the scene, where the recovery operation and crash investigation are continuing. Motorists have been told avoid using the M1, which remains closed at junction 16 for Northampton.

Our sister news website, NorthamptonshireLive, is covering this event live. To read updates as they happen click here.

Police have said they cannot predict when the motorway will reopen. A spokesperson for Northamptonshire Police said: "We received reports of a serious road traffic collision shortly after 3.30am today (Tuesday, January 31), involving a car and HGV.

"The driver of the car has been taken to the University Hospital Coventry with serious injuries. The collision occurred between Junction 16 and 17 on the northbound carriageway of the M1, which remains closed at Junction 16."

They added: "We do not have an estimated time of when the M1 will re-open so motorists are advised to find alternative routes where possible." Google Traffic is not showing congestion and delays as far as Leicestershire, however, motorists heading to the county from London will be caught up in the traffic jams.

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